There wasn't much for articles, but I found these, A & B. The prior piece details Gilead's currently ongoing research over prevention & cures. Both pieces discuss research from Gilead & Merck concerning a weekly pill for HIV treatment. Neither are long, but contain updates on the process.
Yesterday was hot again. I didn't fair well. It's not supposed to be as hot today. The days are hard, but it's the hot nights that are doing me in.
That's all for now, take care.
Cya...
tRump's maga has declared a culture war on anything they see as DEI. They will use it justify harming anyone or anything. Unfortunately that included the war on HIV. These cuts aren't just to PEPFAR & other overseas projects. They include domestic programs for awareness, testing, treatment & prevention.
maga's actions could very well lead to a reality where HIV is as dangerous as it was decades ago. These people's actions aren't out of some profound need to protect themselves from some imaginary boogeyman. These directives are meant cause harm, mayhem, degradation & even death. maga is vile.
My hope is that every single person who supported this movement gets this illness & has no means of dealing with it. Let them & theirs know the horrors of what unmitigated HIV can be. They deserve it.
That's all for now. Take care.
Cya...
This piece is a statement from a senior VP from ViiV Healthcare. It's a plan to embrace decades of research, development & patient input to develop the future of HIV/AIDS treatment with the endgame of ending the virus.
The focus is on long acting injectables (LAI). Some for prevention, others for treatment. They could come in varying injection intervals. This isn't a cure, it's a siege war against HIV. If the virus can't spread & is contained in those currently HIV+, it will either die out with those patients or be handled if a cure ever is developed.
Like all things with HIV, this is now & will continue to be in development, striving to be the best approach possible. Again, this isn't a cure, but it's a solid step to ending HIV.
Give this a read. Take care.
Cya...
HIV/AIDS education is important. Some people have the notion Gilead's Lenacapavir, the long lasting PReP option is a cure or a vaccine. It's neither. This medication can't cure an HIV+ person. It can only prevent transmission of the virus. What this drug could do if properly & widely administered is slowly starve out HIV in a type of siege war. It would die with those currently infected with no other transmissions.
There's a lot of info regarding HIV, even more misinformation. We have access to an abundance of resources to learn from. That may not be the same everywhere in the world. Education, awareness & prevention will always be as important as treatment.
That's all for now, take care.
Cya...
With all the funding cuts being made to the fight against HIV, most people focus on the medications. While the drugs are in some ways paramount, they're not the only thing getting cut. There are all the peripheries as well; labs, case management, consultations, referrals & various support matters.
When these cuts happen, it impacts everything in the situation, not just the meds. Including all the people working in these places livelihoods. There are many services outside of the clinic also feeling these cuts such as housing, financial & food assistance programs. Which are all being slashed.
Still there is another thing, perhaps more damaging. For many these cuts will lead to increased isolation. For some, the only people interacting with them at all were workers who now have no funds to help. Many of these workers themselves may now be in need of assistance after losing their employment with these programs.
Yes, the meds are getting cut. Services are being gutted. For some, the isolation may be the worst of it. For these people, it could mean suffering, starving & dying alone. That's what the orange bastard's cuts are doing.
Cya...
July is here, may it be a good month. We need it. It's at least sunny, so that's a start. It's supposed to get hot.
I found a good article today. It concerns HIV, HPV & anal cancer. While this cancer is still more prevalent in women, its numbers are high in men, especially those with HPV. Men with HPV who engage sex with men are at a higher risk. The chances grow if the person is HIV+.
The risk of anal cancer in HIV-positive men who have sex with men is now higher than the risk for cervical cancer was in women before the advent of Pap tests
Almost everyone who has ever had sex has been exposed to HPV, a large family of viruses that cause six types of cancer: anal cancer, cervical cancer, head and neck cancer, penis cancer, vaginal cancer, and vulvar cancer.
Most people have been exposed to HPV & HIV can greatly increase the chances of it developing into cancer. There is a vaccine. It can be given to children & up to the mid 40s. I had already aged out by the time I heard about the vaccine or I would've got it.
HIV is hard enough. HPV alone can be deadly. Combine them & it could be a disaster. If you can, get vaccinated. They have anal pap tests like cervical paps. It's up to you to educate yourself. Most likely your care provider won't even think about this matter.
Give this piece a read. Hello July, be good. Take care.
Cya...
Even though rainfall averages have been passed, the weather feels the need for more storms. There's chances for them all day. The skies will be dark & there may be thunder, but there's not supposed to be much rain, just a lot of meh.
A lot of articles for months now have been about a single topic, funding. The US's $ stunt has jeopardized the entire world's fight against HIV. I hope the rest of the world figures out a way to operate completely independent of US cash. Maybe then, this country could be treated like it should be & left in a corner like a bad child. For the sake of egos, wealth & politics, this administration is willing to let the world burn. To hell with every MAGA, orange asshat & conservative.
Cya...
There's a continuum between quality & quantity. Most opt for the most over the best. I want the most candy over a single bite of the best. But that shouldn't be the case when it comes to a person's life. Lifespan is how long someone will live. But another concept healthspan or healthy life expectancy, is how long the individual will life in a mostly healthy state absent of chronic illness or injury.
When it comes to HIV, new meds have led to a near normal lifespan. That isn't always the case for healthspan. Many with HIV+ age faster than normal & face health issues earlier or more intensely; cognitive decline or increased susceptibility to some cancers.
According to this piece, this is due to the inflammation caused by HIV even when suppressed. HIV impacts the bodies ability to fight. The research reported a sugar molecule in the body called glycans help control inflammation. While glycans dip as we age, it can be worse for women as the enter menopause. But in HIV+ people these glycans levels lessen & with that their ability to control inflammation.
Research is studying a medication to inhibit this effect. A group of meds referred to as sialidase or neuraminidase inhibitors can lessen degradation of glycan levels. These compounds are found in common anti-flu meds such as Tamiflu.
This research is in the very beginning, but could prove very useful. They aren't promoting flu meds as a treatment for HIV related inflammation. They're saying the chemicals in these meds could be lead to new treatments for the condition. Which could impact a host of inflammation induced ailments.
Give it a read. Take care.
Cya...
My medical appointment went as expected, no surprises. I scheduled the next time. Now on to my midweek dental cleaning. Then my stuff can be handled for a bit.
Yet another dental office is being reported as a possible exposure site for HIV. This piece says a Philadelphia dentist office had possible exposures of bodily fluids between patients. More details haven't been provided at this time.
I finally sleep well after 3 nights. It'd been nice to wake up to a nice day, but no. It's still raining & dark. May have been such a sucky, dark month the last few years.
That's all for now, take care.
Cya...
I manaed to
The field of HIV research is decades old & huge steps have been made in the fight against the virus. However, we haven't found a cure. We're back to admitting prevention is currently our best option. While there have been advancements in treatment, there's still no silver bullet.
Some are admitting the difficulty of this pursuit & altering course. Alongside long acting treatment & PrEP that can greatly limit transmission, researchers are looking at options not found in pill bottles. Some are researching the areas of gene therapy and broadly neutralizing antibodies.
I've discussed these topics before. It's a shift from a wide net approach meant for the masses to a personalized effort for individuals. This could be the path forward, but it's still early days on this matter.
That's all for now, take care.
C=ya...
The 1st week of May is in the bag. So far it's been OK, maybe it'll stay that way. Other than me having some basic appointments, there shouldn't be much happening.
I saw 2 articles, the 1st piece is about about the Bangor Maine area. The state wasn't known as a HIV hotspot until about 2023. A combination of social net failures, personal financial issues & cuts in health & welfare systems fueled this event. It's been years in the making & now, all of this is worse than when it started.
The 2nd piece is about gut biome & immunity among HIV patients. It's a limited piece but still a good read. It might be a jumping point for those interested in the topic.
That's all for this morning. We'll head for end of the week things; mail, shopping, errands... Take care.
Cya...
It's still overcast & chilly. We might not make out of the 50s today. To make things worse, there's a lot of mowing. The noise alone can be bothersome, but this year's different. My roomie & I are both reacting to cut grass a lot this year. Normally, it smells & might set off our allergies. This year besides it stinking & setting off allergies, it's making us feel fairly ill & nauseous. Hopefully, whatever's in the grass will die off soon. This has been a lot for the last few weeks.
I've posted about aging with HIV before. This is a good piece about aging with HIV. It deals with the issues of HIV itself, the meds & comorbidities. It's worth a read.
Take care.
Cya...
Merck has a new drug med coming this May. IDVYNSO is a combination of doravirine & islatravir. It is not recommended for people currently on some meds, such as lamivudine. It could lower the med's effectiveness & cause possible toxicity. It's unclear how long a person would have to off lamivudine before they could start this. This is the only non-INSTI 2 drug med without tenofovir given orally currently available.
This could be a great new option for people. These are newer meds comprising a new combo. Islatravir is the only med in a new category of NRTTIs. This a significant step.
Give this piece a read.
Take care.
Cya...
While I've never read a anything solely devoted to the idea of HIV & premature aging, I've seen parts of other works reference the concept. The research says it could be by as much as a decade. Some think it's due to inflammation, others, just ware & tear of the immune system. This piece addresses that. It also states that treatment can lessen or even reverse the aging effects of HIV.
Give the piece a read. I don't find many articles these days. Take care.
Cya...
The last weekend of March looks to be dark & colder. It's gloomy this morning & it might rain. Benefit renewals are in process. My roomie is home from her appointment.
I saw 2 articles (A & B) on suppressing HIV without meds. Both pieces detailed an approach to handling HIV with antibodies & T-Cells. This is a direction researchers have been looking at for a while. At this moment it isn't widely viable. This could lead to a new primary treatment of HIV & head away from traditional medications.
That's it for now, take care.
Cya...
I try not to get too political on this blog. I do express my opinions of the orange asshat & his cult of maga idiots. But maybe I should take a bit to make a point.
Assistance for HIV meds & providers is being gutted in the US. Ryan White programs are being impacted. I'm not a big trans supporter, but what's happening in Kansas is disgusting. If that state can do what they want, then it might spread to others & for other groups. Some states are wanting the right not to recognize same sex marriages.
If any of this affects you or someone you know, thank the damn republicans. If someone in your life voted for these people, then they voted against you. It's that simple. This is a midterm election year, make sure you vote. They're trying to make it harder to vote. All that means is that they're afraid of losing.
This isn't just about Gays, trans or people of color. It's about anyone who isn't a 1%er or above, conservative, straight, white man. I doubt anyone meeting those criteria is reading my blog, so this is aimed at you. Just vote.
Cya...
Other than abstinence, condoms are the best form of prevention. There are many PrEP options, but they require access & implementation. These meds do nothing to prevent other STIs & pregnancy. Condoms offer similar protection & guard against more than HIV. Besides being cheaper & more available, condoms don't require a medical visit.
This article is about the spread of syphilis, superbugs & other STI's on the rise in the US. It's time to accept while PrEP is great, it & doxy aren't enough to deal with the rising numbers of other STIs. Doxy does nothing to prevent herpes.
This is a good piece, give it a read. Take care.
Cya...
I see articles about how HIV is addressed dissimilarly due to differing patient demographics. These factors include race & ethnicity, sex, rurality & social vulnerability. It's accurate to say these distinctions can & do impact HIV treatment, but there's something being left out. These traits affect groups no matter what the issue.
Any of these factors or combination of them can push a person further from the standard of care given the mainstream population. I'm gay, rural, poor & on disability. My access to everything is very limited compared to a middle class person living in a metro area. Still, that affects everything, not just my HIV treatment.
Too many articles are written as if these were isolated assaults those HIV+. Disparity in treatment has always been a reality. It shouldn't be, but it is. In many incidents, the more conventional, metro & affluent a person is, the better they will be treated.
Stigma & disparity are a given in any situation where there's a power imbalance. From what I can tell, it's not a fight that can be won. You can focus on it & waste a lot of effort, but it's unlikely any lasting change will come about. Sorry, but society sucks.
Cya...
Just a quick post. So far there isn't much going today. It's pretty hazy & windy out. I did come across another article of negligence or malpractice leading to possible HIV exposure. This article details how a nurse working in a Texas jail may have exposed a dozen or more men to HIV by reusing needles. At least 1 inmate was HIV+. Now these men are taking PEP & being tested. This kind of exposure happens way too often.
Cya...
